Electric semaphore.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. EDWARD L. ORCUTT, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,AssroNoR TO RAILWAY SAFETY SIGNAL COMPANY, A ooRPoRATroN or NEW JERsEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed September 1, 1906. Serial Ila-333,006.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. ORGUTT, acitizen of the United States, anda resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the county, city, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Semaphores for Railways, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in semaphores or signals such asare used on railroad tracks or in other places where it is desired toindicate a safe, a cautionary or dangerous condition, and it has for itsobjects to simplify the construction,'to increase the ease of operation,and to otherwise im-' prove the device as will be clearly understood bythe complete description of the same herein contained.

The invention consists of a plurality of stationary arms properlypositioned to indicate the difierent conditions, and electricallyoperated devices mounted on the difierent arms of the semaphore toproduce the proper colors to indicate the various conditions indicatedby the position of the respective arms on which said devices aremounted; and a controlling mechanism to govern the operation of saidelectrically operated devices.

The invention is carried out substantially as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which form an essential part of thisspecification, and wherein, like characters of reference refer to likeparts wherever they occur in the different parts of the drawing.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front elevation of a semaphore embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modification. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing a further modification and showing provision for acautionary indication. Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating anarrangement like Fig. 3 but slightly modified therefrom.

Referring to the Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown the semaphore as beingprovided with a plurality of electrically operated lamps for the safetysignal and a lurality of electrically operated lamps for t e dangersignal and in Fig. 1, have shown a supply of electricity to operatethesignals, and a separate supply of electricity to operate a controllingcircuit whereby the supply of electricity for the signal circuits may beswitched from the danger to the safety signals, or vice versa. In Fig.2,

I have shown one supply of electricity to opcrate both circuits.

A represents the standard or support of the semaphore.

B represents one arm of the semaphore containing the danger signal, andC represents the other arm containing the safety signal.

D represents a box or casing at the junction of the two arms of thesemaphore and within which the controlling or switching mechanism ispreferably inclosed.

Within the box D is placed an electrically operated switching device,the electro-magnet 1 of which is contained within a controlling circuitformed of the conductors 2 and 3 and including the source of supply ofelec tricity 4 and the switch 5 which switch is placed atsome-convenient place to be operated. This switch may be made in theform of an ordinary switch as shown and so as to make or break thecircuit, or it may consist of means to shunt the current from itssource.

To the op osite terminals of a second source of supp y of electricity 6,in Fig. 1, are attached the signal circuits, each signal circuit beingcom osed in part of the conductors 7 and 8 and including the armature 9of the magnet 1 which by contact with its back stop 10 closes one of thesignal circuits or by contact with its front stop 1 1 closes the othersignal circuit and in either case causes the opposite signal circuit tobe opened. The con ductor 8 is divided into two branch conductors 12 and13, the conductor 12 being car.- ried into the arm B while the conductor13 is carried into the arm C of the semaphore. To the back stop 10 forthe armature is connected the conductor 14 which is carried into the armB and between the conductors 12 and 14 withinthe arm B are placed one ormore signal lamps 15. On the drawing 1 have shown the arm B as beingprovided with a plurality of lam s, those in ig. 1, being arranged inmultip e, and those in Fig. 2, being arranged in serles. To the frontsto 11 for the armature is connected the con uctor 16 which is carriedinto the arm 0, and between the conductors 13 and 16 within the arm Care placed one or more signal lamps 17. On the drawings I have shown thearm C as being provided with a plurality of lamps, those in ig. 1, beingarranged in multiple while those 1 in Fig. 2, are arranged in series. Itis prefer- ICC able to arrange these signal lamps in multiple Within thearms of the semaphore, as the proper signal will then be given even ifall but one of the lamps should be out of order and fail to burn, whichwould not be the case if any of the lamps should be out of order andfail to burn, if the lamps were arranged in series within the semaphore.

When a single supply of electricity is to be used for both thecontrolling and signal circuits as shown in Fig. 2, I connect theconductors 7 of the signal circuits to the conductor 3 of thecontrolling circuit and also connect the conductor 8 of signal circuitsto the opposite side'of the supply of electricity to that at which theconductor 3 is attached and in such a manner that the switch 5 in thecontrolling circuit will not be included in the signal circuits and willconsequently have no effect upon the signal circuits. The operation ofthe device, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is substantially as follows:

The switch 5 is shown open and therefore there is no current ofelectricity flowing through the controlling circuit, and the armature ofthe electrically operated switch in the boX D is held in contact withits back stop 10 by the action of a spring 18; it will therefore be seenthat the signal circuit which is connected to said back stop will be aclosed circuit, and a current of electricity will flow through thissignal circuit which included the back stop. As this signal circuitthrough which the current of electricity flows IS the circuit which iscarried into the horizontal arm B of the semaphore it will be seen thatthelamps within said arm will be lighted and as it is customary to havean arm of a semaphore in a horizontal position to indicate danger, thelights in this arm B of the semaphore should be red or some other coloras would indicate danger.

. If it is desired to change the signal so as to indicate safety, it isonly -necessary to operate the switch 5 so as to close the controllingcircuit and cause a current of electricity to flow through saidcontrolling circuit thereby energizing the magnet of the electricallyoperated switch in the box D and cause it to attract and drawitsarmature into contact with the front stop 11 This action of thearmature would 0 en the signal circuit which includes the amps withinthe arm B and it also would close the signal circuit which includes thefront stop which signal circuit is carried into the arm C-of thesemaphore and includes the lamps within said arm, thus the lamps withinthe 'arm 0 would be lighted, and as this position of the arm is thecustomary position to indicate safety, it will be seen that the lightswithin the arm C should be white or such other color as would indicatesafety. It will therefore be seen.

either a safe or dangerous condition by a proper position and color ofthe lights and without moving the arm of the semaphore.

Referring to the device, as illustrated in.

Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, the semaphore is provided with anadditional arm E which I locate in the customary position to indicate anecessity for caution, which position -all.y operated switching device;also signal circuits with or without a separate source of supply ofelectricity and signal lamps of.

proper colors arranged within arms on the semaphore in proper positionsto indicate safety-and danger, substantially as described in relation toFigs. 1 and 2. In addition to the above devices I employ a secondcontrolling circuit which is composed of the conductors 19 and 20 andincludes the source of supply of electricity 21, the switch 22, and theelectro-magnet 23 of an electrically operated switching device, whichswitching device is located within the box or casing B and has itsarmature 24 and its back stop 25 inserted within the conductor 7. Aspring 26 acting on the armature 24 holds the armature in contact withthe back stop 25 when the magnet 23 isinactive, and consequently causesthe conductor 7 to be continuous and unbroken: To the front stop 27 forthe armature 24 is connected the conductor 28 which is carried into thearm E and to the branch conductor 12 is connected another branchconductor 29 which is also carried into the arm -E. Within the arm E areplaced a plurality of signal lamps 30,,which, as shown in Fig. 3 arearranged in multiple between the conductors 28 and 29, but which havebeen shown in Fig. 4 as being arranged in series between saidconductors.

The operation of the device, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 issubstantially as follows: As the armature 24 and back stop 25 areinserted within the conductor 7 and are held in contact with each otherso as to make the conductor 7 continuous and unbroken, it will be seenthat the operation of the device when changing from a safety signal to adanger signal, or vice versa, is exactly the same as that described inrelation to Figs. 1 and 2, but when it is desired to indicate acautionary signal, it is only necessary to op crate the switch 22 so asto close the controlling circuit which includes the magnet 23 and bythus energizing said magnet to cause it to withdraw the armature 24 fromcontact with the back stop 25 and into contact with the front stop 27.This action of the arma-. ture will break or open the signal circuitwhich includes the lamps 15 on the arm B of the semaphore, and at thesame time closes 7 thesignal circuit which includes the lamps 30 on thearm E which arm is in the customary position to indicate a necessity forcaution and therefore the lamps 30 should be green or such other color.aswould indicate a necessity for caution. With the switch 22 closed and.the armature 24 caused thereby 3 colors on said arms corresponding incolor to to be brought into contact with the front sto 27 and away'fmmthe back stop itwil be seen that it is impossible for a safety oradanger signal to be glven and that it will be necessary to open theswitch 22 and allow the armature 24 to contact with its back stop 25before suchsafety or danger signal can be given. 1 I

Having thus fully described the nature, arrangement, and operation of myinvention, I wish claim Y 1. In a semaphore, a standard or support, a(plurality of permanentlyfixed arms mounte thereon and extending atdifierent signal: ing positions, lamps giving different signaling thesignaling positions of the arms, an independent electric signal circuitentering each arm and containing the'lamps on the arm it enters, asource of sup'ply oftelectricity, and a switching device to switch saidsu ply of electricity into any one of said signal circuits to light thelamps contained therein; M

2. In a semaphore, a standard or support, -a lurality of permanentlyfixed arms mount- -e thereon'and extending at different signalingpositions, lamps giving different signaling colors on said armscorresponding in, color to the position of the arms upon which they aremounted, an independent electric'signal circuit for each arm enteringthe arm and conto secure by Letters Patent, and

and extending in a position to indicate sa ety,

lamps giving a color to.v indicate safety mounted on this latter arm,a'signal circuit entering each of said arms, and containing the lamps inthe arm it enters, a source of supply of electricity, an electrically o,erated iswitch tocontrol the supply of electricity'to said signalcircuit, and a controlling'devlce to control said switch, combined witha, fixed arm mounted on said standard and. extending in a position toindicate the necessity of cau- I tion, lamps giving color to indicatethe necessity'for caution mounted on this latter arm, a signal circuitentering this latter arm' and containing the lamps thereon, anelectrically operated switch'controlling this latter signal circuit andcutting oil the supply of electric- 'ity to the other signal circuits,and a controllingdevice to control this latter switch.

In testimony whereof, Ihav'e signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD ORCUTT. Witnesslesi RICHARD SHELDON,

, LEONARD 'DAY

